Kaduna Govt. releases N132m to implement nutrition programmes

Kaduna State Government has released N132 million out of the N300 million allocated in the 2021 budget for Kaduna State Nutrition Emergency Action Plan (KADENAP) to implement nutrition programmes.

Mr Umar Bambale, the Project Manager, KADENAP, disclosed this at the 2nd Quarter Coordination Meeting of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition in Kaduna on Friday.

Bambale explained that the fund was released by the Ministry of Finance for nutrition-line Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to access and implement planned activities.

He said that the MDAs would use the money to implement Community Management of Acute Malnutrition and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), mobilisation of caregivers, drugs and other services.

He commended Gov. Nasir El-Rufai for the prompt release of the funds to implement nutrition interventions to address the scourge of malnutrition in the state.

Mr Salisu Baba, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission, also commended the release of the funds.

Baba said that the funds would be disbursed to relevant MDAs, adding that more results would be recorded in the third quarter due to the massive interventions that would be implemented.

He also commended the support of development partners in the fight against malnutrition – UNICEF, Alive and Thrive, Save the Children International and Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), among others.

“The partners are always there for us with technical and financial support, including awareness and promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and IYCF.

“CS-SUNN, particularly supported us by printing our State Food and Nutrition Policy and Multi-sectoral Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition.

“With all these supports, we are hoping for a positive outcome in the third quarter,” she said.

He disclosed that the State Development Plan, 2021 to 2025 had been approved and Sector Implementation Plan (SIP) would soon be developed.

Baba advised the relevant nutrition sensitive MDAs to ensure that their nutrition activities were captured in the SIP to ensure availability of funds.

He explained that the objective of the coordination meeting was to ensure sustainable food and nutrition programme coordination in the state.

According to him, this will enable the committee to set clear goals in enhancing multi sectorial food and nutrition programming in the state.

“The meeting is to also get updates on programmes implemented by relevant MDAs and identify ways to achieve maximum impact on women and children.

“We also want to identify challenges and opportunities of improving food and nutrition activities in the state.”